Elon Musk offered Ashley St. Clair $15 million and $100K/month to keep son secret – National
The mother of one of Elon Musk’s 14 known children says the tech billionaire-turned-senior government advisor offered her millions of dollars to keep the existence of their child under wraps.
Ashley St. Clair, 26, a right-wing author and social media personality, became pregnant by Musk and gave birth to their son, Romulus, in September 2024, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The pair met at the X offices in San Francisco in 2023 after Musk made contact with St. Clair on social media.
They began a romantic relationship shortly after, but St. Clair told the WSJ in an interview that the 53-year-old Tesla founder offered her US$15 million and $100,000 monthly to stay silent about her pregnancy and the birth of their infant son. This monetary proposal was also confirmed by other media outlets via sources “close” to St. Clair.
While pregnant, Musk sent St. Clair $2 million to cover expenses, which was structured as a loan, the WSJ says. For the most part, she stayed inside to avoid public attention.
During labour, St. Clair was told by Musk’s team to keep his name off the birth certificate. By this point, she had already hired a lawyer, something Musk had advised against.
She agreed not to put his name on the birth certificate, and shortly after giving birth, was asked to sign documents keeping Musk’s identity and the details of their relationship private in exchange for monetary support.
The offer included a one-time fee of $15 million for a house to cover living expenses, plus an additional $100,000 a month until the baby turned 21, the WSJ wrote, adding that Musk told her in text it was best for the baby’s safety that his paternity remained unknown.
Elon Musk (L) attends UFC 314 at Kaseya Center on April 12, 2025, in Miami with his son, X Æ A-Xii, whom he shares with singer-songwriter Grimes.
Megan Briggs / Getty Images
According to a text message previously shared online and in now-private legal documents, Musk cited his position in the Trump administration as the reason.
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He described himself as the “#2 after Trump for assassination,” adding that “only the paranoid survive.”
St. Clair didn’t sign the monetary support deal, telling the WSJ that she was concerned it would make their child feel “illegitimate” and that the agreement did not offer support if their son became extremely ill, nor did it include a trust fund or life insurance if Musk died before the child turned 21.
She also wanted a paternity test.
Karen B. Rosenthal, one of St. Clair’s lawyers, told the WSJ that courts in New York, where St. Clair lives, require the test to invoke child support agreements.
According to the WSJ, the agreement Musk proposed barred St. Clair from speaking unfavourably about Musk with their son, but did not prevent Musk from speaking negatively about her if he chose to. If St. Clair broke the agreement, she would have to pay back the $15 million.
After numerous failed attempts to settle with Musk directly, St. Clair caught wind of plans to publish a story about their relationship and the birth of the son, which until then had remained private. She announced the birth before the publication could run the story.
“Five months ago, I welcomed a new baby into the world. Elon Musk is the father,” she wrote on X on Feb. 14.
“I have not previously disclosed this to protect our child’s privacy and safety, but in recent days it has become clear that tabloid media intends to do so, regardless of the harm it will cause.”
Less than a week later, Musk revoked his $15-million offer, and as legal proceedings began to settle the terms of the agreement in court, including St. Clair’s request for a paternity test, Musk dropped his $100,000 monthly offer to $40,000.
St. Clair told the WSJ she received a $20,000 payment from Musk on Tuesday, half of what was previously offered.
“The timing of the reduction in payments from him are timed with disagreements on testing and gag orders. The only conclusion we can make is that money is being weaponized,” Dror Bikel, another of St. Clair’s lawyers, said to the WSJ.
St. Clair’s legal fees, so far, are close to $250,000, the publication said.
Musk was confirmed as the father of the child on Friday following a court-ordered test.
St. Clair filed a petition on Feb. 21 with the New York Supreme Court seeking sole custody.
As of this writing, the billionaire has not publicly commented on the latest developments.
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